THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

529-Simon & Garfunkel-Homeward Bound.

1966-Number 9 single.

Best Bit-At 1.40. It’s Widnes railway stations claim to fame.

Widnes railway station, which is located in Farnworth, Halton, England, is one of three railway stations where Paul Simon reputedly composed ‘Homeward Bound,’ the others being ‘Ditton,’ and ‘Warrington Bank Quay.’ The probability is that Paul Simon composed the song in all three. Widnes railway station has a plaque commemorating the event, which is actually the third plaque, as the first two were both pinched by memorabilia collectors.

‘Homewood Bound’ was written by Paul Simon while he was on tour in England in the spring of 1964. He had just recorded his first Album ‘Wednesday Morning 3 AM,’ with Art Garfunkel, and he felt that it would be a commercial failure. While on tour he met the 16 year old Kathy Chitty who was working at the ‘Raiway Hotel,’ in Essex, where Simon was performing nightly. Simon became infatuated with her, but she wasn’t willing to travel with him to London and other city’s, resulting in an emotional farewell. Following a performance in Liverpool, Paul Simon was waiting for the morning train, and he began to write ‘Homeward Bound’ on a scrap of paper. Kathy Chitty never wanted to be part of the ‘Pop Star’ lifestyle, and married and settled down quietly in Wales, away from any limelight. ‘Homeward Bound’ was not the only song that Paul Simon wrote about Kathy Chitty, as ‘Kathy’s Song,’ and ‘America,’ are also about time spent with her. When ‘The Sound of Silence’ became a surprise hit in the States, reaching Number 1 a year after it’s initial release , Paul Simon left England, and flew back to America to renew his partnership with Art Garfunkel.

‘Homeward Bound’ was the second single release by the duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel as ‘Simon & Garfunkel,’ (see also best songs 200-96 and 71) as their previous three singles which had been released between 1957-1958, were issued under the name ‘Tom & Jerry.’ All those three earlier singles had failed to chart, but ‘The Sound of Silence’ went to Number 1 on Billboard. ‘Homeward Bound’ was released as the second of three singles taken from ‘Simon & Garfunkel’s, second studio Album ‘Sounds of Silence,’ from January 1966, the song was written by Paul Simon, with the production being by Bob Johnston (1932-2015) (see also best songs 428 and 96) In America ‘Homeward Bound’ first appeared on their third studio Album ‘Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme,’ from October 1966.

Art Garfunkel was born Arthur Ira Garfunkel, on November 5th, 1941, in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, United States, he is a singer, actor, and poet. Art Garfunkel first Paul Simon at school when they were both cast in the elementary school graduation play, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Garfunkel has said that Simon first became interested in singing after hearing him sing a rendition of Nat King Cole’s ‘Too Young’ in a school talent show. Between 1956-1962 the pair performed together as ‘Tom & Jerry,’ Their idols were The Everly Brothers, (see also best songs 799) whom they imitated in their use of close two-part vocal harmony. As ‘Tom & Jerry’ they released three singes, with their debut ‘Hey Schoolgirl’ reaching Number 49 on Billboard in 1957. After the demise of ‘Tom & Jerry, Art Gafunkel released two non charting solo singles in 1959, and 1961. In 1963 the duo reformed under the name ‘Simon and Garfunkel,’ and released their debut studio Album ‘Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M’ on ‘Columbia Records’ in October 1964. The Album was neither a critical or commercial success, and disheartened by this this they decided to split. The pair got back together again in 1965 after the music producer Tom Wilson (1931-1978) (see also best songs 358-96 and 7) lifted the song ‘The Sound of Silence” from that debut Album, and dubbed an electric backing onto it, and released it as a single that went to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. ‘Simon and Garfunkel’ remained together until 1970, but have reformed to tour and perform together on many occasions, with their last performance together to date being in 2010.

The solo discography of Art Garfunkel includes 10 studio Albums released between 1973-2007, and 29 singles released between 1959-2002, there are also eight official compilation Albums, and one live Album available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, seven of his singles have made the top 40, with both ‘All I Know,’ (1973) and ‘My Little Town,’ with Paul Simon, (1975) peaking the highest at Number 9. In the UK Art Garfunkel has had three top 40 hits, with both ‘I Only Have Eyes for You,’ (1975) and ‘Bright Eyes,’ (1979) making the Number 1 spot.

‘Tonight I’ll sing my songs again, I’ll play the game and pretend, but all my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity. Like emptiness in harmony, I need someone to comfort me. Homeward bound I wish I was.’

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